Method and apparatus for sterilizing and applying elastic gloves to the human hand



4, 1962 D. w. McCOLLUM 3,067,001 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING AND APPLYING ELASTIC GLOVES TO THE HUMAN HAND Dec.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 19, 1961 {I Hg INV EN TOR.

ATTO/PIVEVJ Dec. 4, 1 962 D. w. M COLLUM 6 ,0

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING AND APPLYING 3 Sheets$heet 2 ELASTIC GLOVES TO THE HUMAN HAND Filed July 19, 1961 INVENTOR.

Dec. 4, 1962 D. w. M COLLUM 3,067,001

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING AND APPLYING ELASTIC GLOVES TO THE HUMAN BAND 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 19, 1961 INV EN TOR.

United States Patent Ofifice 3,9573% Fatented Dec. 4, 1962 3,667,081 METHQD AND APEARATUS FDR STELRILIZING AND Atilhifilt? ELASTIC GLQVES TO THE HUMAN HAND llaavid W. MeCoiium, 144-9 Heights Blvd, Houston, Tex. Filed July 19, 1961, Ser. No. 125,179 12 (Ii-aims. (Cl. 21-2) This invention relates to improvements in methods and apparatus for sterilizing elastic gloves .and applying the gloves in sterile condition to the human hand. The invention is particularly useful in the field of applying rubber gloves to the hands of surgeons since in this field the difficulties in applying thin, tightly fitting rubber gloves to the hand While maintaining their sterile condition are most pronounced. However, the invention is applicable to any field in which elastic gloves are sterilized and are to be maintained in sterile condition while applied to the hand of a user.

For purposes of illustration, the process and apparatus will be described in its application to surgeons rubber gloves although it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this application.

As is well understood, rubber gloves as are used by surgeons are made of very thin material and must fit the hands snugly and evenly in order that the delicacy of the surgeons sense of touch may remain unimpaired. The gloves not only must be thoroughly sterilized before application but must be applied to the surgeons hands in a manner which does not impair their sterile condition. The gloves are so delicate and tightly fitting that it is dil'licult and a time-consuming task to apply them properly. Even though applied slowly and with great care, they are quite apt to rupture in the process. The difiiculty in application is so great that ordinarily a surgeon does not attempt to put the gloves on alone, but it is customary to assign a nurse or other assistant to aid the surgeon in applying his gloves.

While the above difficulties are serious enough when applying gloves prior to an operation, they are even more critical if, during an operation, a surgeon suddenly has to replace cut or torn gloves. In fact, the speed of replacement may be a critical factor in the success of the operation and may amount to the difference between life and death of the patient.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus whereby sterile rubber gloves may be applied to the hands of an individual, such as a surgeon or nurse, with great speed and with maximum ease and yet with practical assurance that the gloves will not be ruptured or unduly strained at any stage of the process in spite of the fact that they must ultimately lit the hands with requisite snugness.

Another object of this invention is to provide such process and apparatus in which there is no danger of contamination of the glove during the process of applying it to the hand.

Another object is to provide such method and apparatus in which the surgeon may apply sterile gloves to his hand without assistance from any other party.

It is another object of the invention to provide sterilizing means and applying means in a single piece of apparatus in which the two means are so associated relatively and combined that no handling of the gloves is' required from the time they are subjected to a sterilizing medium to the time they are fully applied to the hands.

Other objects, advantages and features of novelty will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and the attached drawings.

in the attached drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts:

FIG. 1 is a plan of one preferred device embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the device of FIG. 1 on the line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail illustrating means for stretching the wrists of sterile gloves for the insertion of a hand taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of a preferred means for releasing stretched gloves to contract .about the wrist after insertion of the hand;

FIG. 5 is a view of the apparatus of FIG. 4 at another point in the sequence of operations;

FIG. 6 illustrates a part of the device of FIG. 2 with the glove distended and in position for insertion of the hand; and

FIG. 7 is .a perspective detail showing motor-driven means for stretching the wrist of a glove.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, there is provided means for sterilizing elastic gloves, maintaining the gloves in sterile condition and applying the sterile gloves to the hands of a user. This apparatus includes a sterilizer chamber wherein a glove support is arranged to receive a glove hanging with its fingers downward in position to be sterilized with the wrist section of the glove open but in substantially unstretched condition. The glove support preferably extends through an annular table carried on arms attached to a rotatable and longitudinally movable shaft.

1n the preferred modification, the central rotary shaft may be reciprocated up and down to and from a position in which a selected pair of gloves is received Within an opening in the top of the sterilizer chamber and is surrounded by a sealing means which makes contact with that part of the annular table carrying the hangers for the selected pair of gloves. A suitable cover is arranged to open and close an opening in the upper surface of the sterilizer chamber so that displacing the cover exposes the desired pair of gloves for application to the hand. Opening the cover in the top of the sterilizer admits atmospheric pressure selectively to the interior of the glove and means are provided cooperable with the sterilizer chamber for reducing pressure within the chamber outside of the particular section delimited by the sealing means in contact with the rotary table. pressure in the sterilization chamber distends the gloves so that the hands of the user are easily inserted into the? expanded gloves. Pressure in the sterilizer chamber is then allowed to return to atmospheric, and the gloves collapse in perfect fit upon the hands of the user. A means also is provided for stretching the wrists of the gloves prior to reduction of pressure in the sterilizer chamber and for releasing the Wrists of the gloves to contract about the wrists of the user after their application.

The device and method will now be described in detail. FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the general arrangement of one preferred embodiment of the invention. the reference numeral 10 indicates a cylindrical SLE" chamber. This chamber has a top it of suitable he to be convenient for insertion of hands into gloves presented substantially at the level of the sterilizer top. in the top of the sterilizer chamber there is an opening 12 of such size to receive a pair of gloves disposed on supporting means, to be described in detail later.

This opening is at least large enough to receive both hands of the user in spaced relationship with each other to enable easy insertion of the hands into the gloves. Opening 12 is surrounded by sealing means 13 arranged to make contact with and seal against a face 14 of an annular table carrying glove supports 15 on movement Reduction of,

w of the annular table into sealing position. A displaceable cover 16 is arranged to open and close opening 12.

Within sterilizer chamber In there is a central rotatable and longitudinally reciprocable shaft 18. Shaft 18 carries a plurality of outward extending arms l? which are attached to and rigidly support the annular table It? at their outer ends. The desired number of substantially vertical, oval, glove distension-limiting members 20 are arranged to extend through annular table 19 and to receive pairs of gloves in substantially unstretched state for sterilization.

A preferred means for supporting the gloves in the chamber for sterilization is best shown in the more detailed FIG. 3. This means comprises an arcuate upper edge 263a of distension-limiting member 26 and a pivoted arcuate strap member 21 attached thereto by pivots 22. 11 e strap 21 fits upon the side of distension-limiting member 29 when rotated downward around pivot 22 so that one side of a wrist portion of the glove may be folded over the upper edge 20a and the upper edge of the arcuate strap member 21. The opposite side of the wrist portion of the glove is folded over a laterally movable arcuate member 23 with member 23 at its limit of travel in the direction of the arcuate edge Ztla. A glove suspended in this manner hangs substantially vertically in distention-limiting member Ztl and is substantially unstretched so that sterilization by a suitable sterilizing agent does not destroy the elasticity of the glove.

The shaft 18 is rotatable to bring any desired pair of gloves in the sterilizer into registry with opening 12. Means for rotating the shaft is illustrated as a motor 24, a speed-reducing gear box 25, spur gears 26 and a. footoperated switch 27 arranged to control supply of power to motor 24.

A foot lever 28, pivoted on a suitable fulcrum at 29, is arranged to raise shaft 18 longitudinally through a distance sufficient to bring seal 13 into sealing contact with cooperating surface 14 on annular table 19 surrounding a selected pair of gloves. Shaft 18 is slidable upon a spline shaft 30 driven by spur gears 26 so that it is movable longitudinally without rotation. The shaft 18 extends slidably through a stuffing box 31 arranged to prevent ree communication between chamber and the atmosphere and also engages a spline shaft 32 at its upper end.

Spline shaft 32 is rigidly attached to an indicator device 33, best shown in FIG. 1, which preferably is marked to indicate glove sizes corersponding to any particular pair of gloves brought into registry with opening 12 in the top of the housing. The upper end of shaft 18 reciprocates within a housing 34 having suitable sealing means illustrated as an O-ring 35 disposed adjacent its lower end to prevent leakage between shaft 18 and the housing 34. The weight of shaft 18, arms 17, annular table 19 and the glove distension-limiting member 23 carried thereby is sufficient to cause shaft 18 to drop when pressure is removed from pedal 36.

A means is provided for stretching the wrist of the glove as shaft 18 is elevated. A preferred means of this type is illustrated in FIG. 7 and includes the arcuate member 23 on which one half of a glove wrist portion is folded over for sterilization, the other half of the wrist portion of the glove, as stated above, being retained on arcuate section a of the upper edge of distension-limiting member 2a and on the arcuate strap member 21. The arcuate member 23 is rigidly attached to a reciprocable rod section 38 arranged to reciprocate in a guide 39 carried by the annular table 19, there being one each of guides 39, rod 38 and arcuate members 23 for each glove in the chamber. The reciprocable rod 38 has an upstanding section 41 carrying a ball it? which is engageable with a spirally threaded member 42 carried by the top if. of the housing. A suitable motor 43 is arranged to drive a shaft 44- carrying the spirally threaded member 42 through reducing gears 26.

Rotation of element 42 clockwise in 7 will thus move the arcuate member 23 away from the upper edge 20a and stretch the wrist portion of the glove to completely cover the upper edge of the corresponding glove distension-limiting member 26 With the wrist of the glove in this stretched position, and seal 13 in contact with the surface of the anr table 15 it will be seen that opening the dispiaceable cover 16 will admit atmospheric presure selectively to the interior of the glove.

PEG. 3 shows the disposition of a pair of Wrist-stretching means for a single pair of gloves. in the upper half of this figure, the arcuate member is shown in retracted osition; and in the lower half of the figure, the corresponding arcuate member has been moved laterally to its full extent of travel.

Means are provided for reducing pressu 10 outside the glove and outside the area seals 13 to a subatmospheric pr tend the glove so that the hand may enter tended glove 46 under such conditions is illastrated in FIG. 6. The function of the distension-limiting members 29 is also illustrated best in this figure. Since the each and palm portions of a glove are of much larger are the fingers of the glove, there is a tendency for gloves to distend largely in the back and palm portions while the fingers remain relatively undistended. The oval distension-limiting members 20 prevent occurrence of this sort of uneven distension by stopping expansion of the back and palm of the glove when they come into contact with the inner wall of members 2%. Members have a curved lower edge as is shown at Zilb in FIG. 1 to allow the fingers and thumb of the glove to be fully distended to admit the hand freely thereinto.

A preferred means for reducing and restoring pressure in the chamber outside the gloves is illustrated in FIG. 2 as a valved line 47 having an air filter 48 therein and communicating with the interior of chamber Lil and with an exhaust fan 49. The exhaust fan 49 preferably is controlled by a conventional on-off switch 5t actuated by successive thrusts of a rod 51. Rod 51 ends in a button 52 which preferably is located conveniently to be pressed by the surgeons knee. Thus, the chamber 10 may be evacuated to the desired degree without the necessity for use of the hands with resulting loss of sterility. Alternatively, a vacuum line 53 containing a valve 54 operated by a rod 55 attached to rod 51 may be used, but the exhaust fan 49 will ordinarily be the preferred arrangement as vacuum lines are not always present at the point where it may be desired to use the sterilizer.

A means also is provided for releasing the wrist portion of the glove to close about the wrist of the user after the hand has been inserted. A preferred means of this type is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 and comprises a rod 5s rigidly attached to the pivoted arcuate strap member 21 of the supporting means 15 and a resilient catch member 57 attached to the top 11 of the housing. As the annular table 19 moves upward in order to make the seal with seal means 13, the rod 56 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 4.

Upward movement of the rod causes it to encounter the lower sloping surface 57a of the catch 57 and to flex the catch backward to permit the rod to pass in the upward direction where it is in contact with a horizontal surface of the catch as shown in FIG. 4. When the pressure is removed from pedal 36 allowing the rod 18 and table 19 supported thereby to move downward, catch 57 lifts rod 56 and the arcuate strap member 51 attached thereto relative to distension-limiting member 2a, thus releasing the wrist portion of the glove. The elasticity of the glove causes the opposite side of the wrist portion to become disengaged from arcuate member 23 so that the wrist portion of the glove snaps into place around the wrist of the user as is shown in FIG. 5.

A means also is provided for introducing the sterilizing medium into chamber 1t} and is illustrated in FIG. 2 as a valved line 58 communicating with the interior of chamber Til and arranged to introduce sterilizing medium such as steam under pressure from any suitable source (not shown).

The operation of the above device is believed to be obvious from the above description. Clean, Washed gloves, ready for sterilization, are introduced into chamber and placed upon glove-supporting members where they hang substantially vertically downward from their wrist portions. The wrist portions are substantially unstretched since, in this operation, the arcuate member 23 is moved for its full length of travel toward the arcuate upper edge a of the distension-limiting members 20. One side of the wrist portion of the glove is folded over the upper arcuate edge 20a and the arcuate strap member 21 which is in lowered position is substantially flush with the top edge of member 20', thus holding that side of the glove against displacement. The opposite side of the wrist portion is folded over the arcuate member 23 which is at such distance from Zll'a that the wrist portions are substantially unstretched but fit snugly enough that they will not fall off. Gloves of the desired sizes are, of course, placed in members 2t) which will register with the sizes indicated on indicator 33.

The cover 16 is then closed and a sterilizing medium is admitted into chamber 16 via line 58 so that the gloves are sterilized. After a suitable sterilizing period, excess sterilizing agent may be exhausted from the chamber in conventional manner. Removal may be through line 53 if desired or many other types of removal apparatus may be used such as a valved line communicating directly with the atmosphere.

When a surgeon has scrubbed up and wishes to apply the gloves to his hand, a nurse or other assistant merely opens the displaceable cover 16 and the surgeon can perform the remainder of the operation alone, or suitable pedal-actuated means or electrical means for raising the cover may be provided so that the surgeon himself may perform this step without contamination of his hands. To do so, he merely steps on foot-operated switch 27 to cause a motor 24 to rotate shaft 18 to bring a desired pair of gloves into registry with opening 12 in the top of the sterilizer. He then steps on pedal 36 and lifts rod 13 upward until seals 13 engage matching surfaces 14 on the annular table 19 having first touched switch 43a with his foot to start the motor 2-3 into motion. As the ball 40 engages the spirally threaded member 42, the wrist portion of the glove is stretched by travel of arcuate member 23 so that the wrist of the glove covers the entire upper edge of distension-limiting member 20. With the seals in contact with surface 14, the seal 13, surface 14, openings 12 and the position of the glove covering the entire upper edge of members 2% form in combination a means for selectively admitting atmospheric pressure into the interior of the glove.

The surgeon then bumps the button 52 with his knee operating switch 53 to start exhaust fan 49. Fan 4? quickly reduces pressure in sterilizer chamber 10 outside the glove sufficiently that the gloves become distended to the limit permitted by distension-limiting members 2%, and fingers and thumb of the glove are well distended so that the hand may be thrust freely into the glove until the points of juncture between the fingers are properly positioned on the hand. At this point, the surgeon merely bumps the button 52 again with his knee and fan 49 ceases to run; and atmospheric pressure backs up through the fan 49, filter a3 and line 47 into chamber 10. As pressure in chamber 10 approaches atmospheric, the glove collapses to fit perfectly upon the hand.

The surgeon then removes his foot from pedal 36, and the rod 18 moves downward carrying with it the annular table 1% and the glove-supporting means 15. Since the catch 57 is stationary upon the top 11 of the housing and is holding rod 56 against downward movement, arcuate strap member 21 tips upward releasing an edge of the glove to collapse around the surgeons wrist due to the elasticity of the material. The collapsing movement of one side of the wrist of the glove also causes the glove to slip off of arcuate member 23 on the opposite side so that the glove closes around the wrist.

Thus, it will be seen that the entire sequence of opera- .tions, including selection of a glove of proper size, moving the glove into registry with the opening, establishing a seal to selectively expose the interior of the glove to atmospheric pressure, reducing pressure in the sterilizer chamber, inserting the hand into the glove, and releasing pressure in the sterilizer chamber to fit the gloves perfectly to the hands and releasing the wrists of the gloves requires time of the order of one-half minute, thus greatly decreasing the time and effort required to apply sterile gloves to the hand.

It Will be obvious to those skilled in the art that a great many modifications may be made in the apparatus and procedure described above. For example, a small sterilizer holding a single pair of gloves may be used if desired; and it is not essential that any particular number of gloves be sterilized at one time. It is not necessary that a cylindrical sterilizer be used with gloves mounted to be rotated to bring them under a desired opening as an elongate rectangular sterilizer with a longitudinally movable rack for gloves, or with a plurality of covered openings could well be used, although the auxiliary devices will be more complicated in this case.

It is obvious that electric eye devices might be used for control of motors 2d and 43 if desired and that the motors themselves might well be replaced by mechanical devices; a hand wheel attached at the top of shaft 18 and extending through top 11 of the housing for rotating a selected pair of gloves into position for application and a great many types of mechanical linkages responsive to vertical movement of shaft '13, or pneumatic or steam operated devices might be used for reciprocating the arcuate member 23. The general apparatus and procedure described above are also applicable whether steam, gas or other sterilizing medium is used. For example, it might be desirable in some cases to use ultraviolet. light or other means for sterilizing the gloves, especially where sterile gloves are required in food handling operations, the preparation of drugs, in laboratory work, etc.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the method and apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed 1. A process for sterilizing and applying an elastic glove to a human hand comprising supporting the glove in substantially unstretched condition in a sterilizer chamber; sterilizing the glove in the chamber; stretching the wrist portion of the glove in the chamber sufficiently to admit a human hand freely thereinto; admitting atmospheric pressure selectively to the interior of the glove; reducing pressure in the sterilizer chamber to the extent that atmospheric pressure within the glove distends the glove sufficiently to admit the hand freely thereinto; in-

7 erting the hand Within the glove; and releasing the open end of the Wrist portion of the glove to close about the wrist.

2. A process for sterilizing and applying an elastic glove to a human hand comprising supporting the glove in a sterilizer chamber in substantially unstretched condition; sterilizing the glove in the chamber by contact of a sterilizing agent therewith; exhausting surplus sterilising agent from the chamber; stretching the wrist portion of the glove in the chamber sufficiently to admit a human iand freely thereinto; admitting atmospheric pressure selectively to the interior of the glove; reducing pressure within the sterilizer chamber sufiiciently that atmospheric ressure within the glove distends the glove to admit the hand freely thereinto; inserting the hand within the glove; and releasing the open end of the wrist portion to close about the wrist.

3. A process for sterilizing and applying an elastic glove to a human hand comprising supporting an elastic glove in a sterilizer chamber in substantially unstretched condition; admitting a sterilizing agent into the chamher for a period of time sufficient to sterilize the glove; stretching the wrist portion of the glove in the chamber suificiently to admit a human hand thereinto; admitting atmospheric pressure selectively to the interior of the glove; reducing the pressure within the sterilizer chamber to such extent that the atmospheric pressure Within the glove distends the glove sufficiently to admit a hand freely thereinto; inserting the hand within the glove; relieving the low pressure in the sterilizer chamber; and releasing the open end of the wrist portion of the glove to close about the wrist.

4. A device for sterilizing elastic gloves and applying gloves to a human hand comprising in combination a housing defining a chamber; means for supporting an unstretched elastic glove in the chamber; means for ad mitting a sterilizing agent into the chamber; means for stretching the wrist of the glove in the chamber sufiiciently to admit a human hand freely thereinto; means for selectively admitting atmospheric pressure to the interior of the glove; means for reducing pressure Within the chamher to stretch the glove by atmospheric pressure therein; means for restoring atmospheric pressure within the chamher; and means for releasing the stretched wrist of the glove to close about the wrist.

5. An apparatus for sterilizing an elastic glove and applying the glove to a human hand comprising in combination a housing defining a sterilizer chamber having an opening through a wall thereof at least large enough to admit a human hand freely thereinto; a displaceable cover arranged to open and close said opening; means, in the chamber, for releasably supporting an elastic glove therein with the wrist of the glove open but in substantially unstretched condition; means, cooperable with said supporting means, for stretching a wrist portion of the glove sutficiently to admit the hand freely thereinto; means for selectively admitting atmospheric pressure into the interior of the glove; means for reducing pressure in the chamber outside the glove to subatmospheric level and restoring the pressure to atmospheric level; and means for releasing the Wrist portion of the glove.

6. An apparatus for sterilizing an elastic glove and applying the glove to a human hand comprising in combination a housing, defining a sterilizer chamber, having an opening through a Wall thereof at least large enough to admit a human hand freely thereinto; a displaceable cover arranged to open and close said opening; means in the chamber for releasably supporting an elastic glove therein with the Wrist of the glove open but in substantially unstretched condition; means, cooperable with said supporting means, for stretching a wrist portion of the glove sufliciently to admit the hand freely therein; means for selectively admitting atmospheric pressure into the interior of the glove; means for reducing pressure in the chamber outside the glove to subatrnospheric level and for restoring pressure therein substantially to atmospheric pressure; means for releasing the wrist portion of the glove; and means for limiting distension of the palm and back portions of the glove in response to reduced pressure in the chamber.

7. An apparatus for sterilizing an elastic glove and applying the glove to a human hand comprising in combination a housing defining a sterilizer chamber, having an opening through a Wall thereof at least large enough to admit a human hand freely thereinto; a displaceable cover arranged to open and close said opening; means in the chamber for releasably supporting an elastic glove therein with the wrist of the glove open but in substantially unstretched condition; means for admitting a sterilizing agent into the chamber; means for exhausting excess sterilizing agent from the chamber; means cooperable with said supporting means for stretching the Wrist portion of the glove sufficiently to admit the hand freely thereinto; means for selectiveiy admitting atmospheric pressure to the interior of the glove; means for reducing pressure in the chamber outside the glove to subatmospheric level and restoring said pressure substantially to atmospheric level; means for releasing the wrist portion of the glove; and means for limiting distension of palm and back portions of the glove in response to reduced pressure in the chamber.

8. An apparatus for sterilizing elastic gloves and applying the gloves to human hands comprising in combination a housing defining a sterilizer chamber having an opening through an upper wall thereof at least large enough to admit both hands of a user in laterally spaced relationship with each other freely thereinto; a displaceable cover arranged to open and close said opening; means in the chamber for releasably supporting a pair of elastic gloves therewith with wrists of the gloves open but in substantially unstretched condition in register with said opening including for each glove a distension-limiting member having an arcuate upper edge, an arcuate member pivoted thereon movable into substantial coincidence with said arcuate upper edge of the distension-limiting member to receive one side of a wrist portion of a glove and a laterally movable arcuate member cooperable therewith in position to receive an opposite side of said wrist portion reversed thereover; means for admitting a sterilizing agent into the chamber; means for exhausting excess sterilizing agent from the chamber; means cooper able with said supporting means for stretching a Wrist portion of gloves sufficiently to admit the hands freely thereinto including for each glove in register with the opening means for moving said arcuate laterally movable member away from said arcuate upper edge; means for selectively admitting atmospheric pressure into the interior of the glove, including sealing means surrounding said opening in the upper wall of the housing and a cooperating surface on said supporting means movable to engage said sealing means; means for reducing and restoring pressure in the chamber outside the glove, including an exhaust fan disposed to withdraw gas from the chamber outside the glove; means for releasing the Wrist portion of the glove, including a latch carried by the upper wall of the housing disposed to lift said pivoted arcuate strap on movement of the supporting means away from said sealing means; and means for limiting distension of the palm and back portions of the glove in response to reduced pressure in the chamber including a substantially vertical oval limiting member disposed to receive a glove thereinto and to confine said back and palm portions of the glove to selected maximum dimensions.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the exhaust fan is controlled by a switch in position to be operated by a knee of the user.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 having means for supporting a plurality of pairs of gloves, and means for moving any selected pair of gloves into registry with said dicating positions of each pair of gloves in the chamber. opening.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 in which the means for References Cited in the file of this patent iutppjcfrtingda lpluralitiy 01f1 pairs 01;) lglovgsftincludes a 50- UNITED STATES PATENTS aaean ongrurnayrnova esa;an annuar5 q I table attached to arms carried by the shaft; and an oval, 1,938,685 Breul? j substantially vertical distention-limiting member for each 2,185,711 Reymers i 194 glove extending through the annular table. 2,473,033 e June 1956 12. The apparatus of claim 10 including means for in- 2,741,410 Vlolette P 101 2,786,740 Taylor Mar. 26, 1957 

1. A PROCESS FOR STERILIZING AND APPLYING AN ELASTIC GLOVE TO A HUMAN HAND COMPRISING SUPPORTING THE GLOVE INSUBSTANTIALLY UNSTRETCHED CONDITION IN A STERILIZER CHAMBER; STERILIZING THE GLOVE IN THE CHAMBER; STRETCHING THE WRIST PORTION OF THE GLOVE IN THE CHAMBER SUFFICIENTLY TO ADMIT A HUMAN HAND FREELY THEREINTO; ADMITTING ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE SELECTIVELY TO THE INTERIOR OF THE GLOVE; REDUCING PRESSURE IN THE STERILIZER CHAMBER TO THE EXTENT THAT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE WITHIN THE GLOVE DISTENDS THE GLOVE SUFFICIENTLY TO ADMIT THE HAND FREELY THEREINTO; INSERTING THE HAND WITHIN THE GLOVE; AND RELEASING THE OPEN END OF THE WRIST PORTION OF THE GLOVE TO CLOSE ABOUT THE WRIST. 